Into the Jungle
It took four countries to determine Dean’s lunch choice. I did my best translating the basic menu for him as our server rattled off the […]
What happens in Chamula . . .
I was able to see some of the cultural and natural sites outside of San Cristóbal during my six days here. A few highlights. Chamula […]
Two Sides of San Cristóbal
“I came here for three days and have been here for six years.” I heard some version of this statement from many travelers, both international […]
A Perfect Day
and a not so perfect one Traveling isn’t one endless stream of joy, but sometimes it can feel like it is. One of my days […]
At Home While On the Road
My granddaughter cringes every time I tell her about hosting Couchsurfers. “Why would you let strangers in your home?” She was even more concerned when […]
Look the Other Way
San Miguel de Allende, aka “gringolandia” or “Mexican Disney World” did not sound very appealing to me based on these nicknames. Yes, it’s a stunningly […]
Mummies, Music, and Meandering
I spent a week in Guanajuato, a UNESCO World Heritage Site which once led the world in silver mining. The blocks around the center of […]
Solo Travel
“Are you going alone?” is probably the second most frequently asked question I get about my trips (The first is some version of, “Is it […]
Waterfalls and Tequila
When Ernesto and I left his house at 7 am, I had no idea we wouldn’t be back until almost midnight. What an amazing day […]
Still Learning
I was honored to author the piece below for the Westerly Anti-Racism Coalition‘s monthly column that appears in The Westerly Sun. It was originally published […]
Every Day is a Snow Day
Hardly a day goes by when I’m not asked how retirement is going. It’s great, for sure, and I’m extremely grateful for being able to […]
The Rhythm of Grandparenting
In 2016, I spent four months as a teaching fellow in Vietnam. On the walk to school in my Hanoi neighborhood I would pass by […]
Go for Broke
What I learned about Japanese American Incarceration and today’s struggles for justice I had the privilege of attending the National Endowment for the Humanities seminar […]
The Speech I Never Gave at My Retirement Party
I am so grateful for having been able to celebrate my retirement from middle school teaching with more than eighty friends, family, and colleagues recently. […]
Tia Pepper
I think it was my son Ricardo who came up with the nickname “Pepper” for my friend Pat. He didn’t have to explain. I knew […]